IMMIGRATION POLICY AND THE MAASTRICHT TREATY

HL Deb 07 June 1994 vol 555 c74WA

Lord Stoddart of Swindon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is the case that in 1996, under Article 100C of the Maastricht treaty, United Kingdom immigration policy will be decided by the European Community by qualified majority voting.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)

The only aspects of immigration policy which are regulated by Article 100C of the Treaty of Rome— inserted by the Treaty on European Union—are the determination of the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the member states, and measures which relate to a uniform format for visas.

The latter are now subject to qualified majority voting, the former from 1 January 1996. All other aspects of immigration and asylum policy are subject to intergovernmental co-operation which is made under Title VI of the Treaty on European Union, according to which the Council is required to act unanimously.